Anonymous

“ On the following morning the battle began by the French troops charging the Russian line in two columns, but without effect. Many hours of hard fighting followed, the French onsetting with the fiery zeal of crusaders, and the Russians receiving them with great courage. Finally, the village of Schloditten having been occupied by Ney, was regained by the Russians at ten at night, and was the last scene of this eventful strife, in which both claimed with equal justice the victory. If any thing, the scale will incline to the Russian general, who hail but 64,000 men, while Napoleon mustered 92,000. ”

“ The British right formed into squares, having in front 34 pieces of artillery; they were attacked with the utmost fury by the whole force of cuirassiers, who, after several assaults, were compelled to retreat, with a loss of two-thirds of their number. The Prussian columns were now faintly discernible through the woods, and Napoleon prepared his guard, under Ney, for the final encounter; the English poured an overwhelming fire into the flanks and body of the approaching columns; the old guard fought valiantly, but the nerve of the British was too much for them. ”

“ Soult the right; the reserve, under Oudinot, including the imperial guard, was 20,000 strong. An evidence of the masterly skill of Napoleon in so disposing his troops as to take advantage of a probable imprudence in the enemy was his placing Davoust at Raygern with a strong division to the rear of the French right. Buonaparte threw himself by a watch-fire for an honr on the night of the 1st Dec., 1805—at one o'clock he was on horseback, and rode round his army in front. The sun rose brilliantly-it was the anniversary of his coronation, and his soldiers determined to celebrate it worthily. ”